1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to contact lens applicators, and more particularly to an improved applicator by which a lens can be readily placed in contact with the eye accurately and without discomfort.
2. General Description of the Prior Art
The most frequently used procedure for placing a contact lens in the eye is to place a moistened contact lens on the tip of an index finger and then to move the finger toward the eye, endeavoring to effect a correct positioning of the finger. Usually the progress of the finger and lens toward the eye is followed in a mirror.
One of the difficulties encountered has been that the moistened lens tends to shift its position on the moistened fingertip and thus prevent accurate positioning of the lens.
Another difficulty is that the broadness of the fingertip holding the lens may completely block the mirror-viewed image. This occurs by first blocking the vision of the eye receiving the lens and finally blocking the vision of the opposite eye which would be helping in the application of the lens.
The problems noted above are compounded in instances where vision is substantially impaired as in cases where cataracts have been formed or are forming, or where cataracts have been removed by surgery, leaving drastically reduced vision.
Further, there is the problem of comfortably engaging one's eye with one's finger. It is a procedure which one is most reluctant to follow in view of normal discomfort which occurs when there is relatively firm contact between anything and the eye. It is simply not easy to move the finger with a sufficiently light touch to avoid this from occurring.
In an apparent recognition of at least a part of the problem, there has recently appeared a contact lens applicator consisting of a tubular lens holder adapted to fit on the end of a penlight type flashlight. This device is thus intended to overcome one of the problems, that of positioning, it being assumed that by virtue of light passing through the holder and contact lens of the holder that one can center the lens in the eye. Actually, however, the lens holder may be moved about considerably without one detecting that it has been moved off center significantly with respect to the eye.
In addition to the penlight attachment type applicator described above, there has recently appeared on the market a finger-held applicator employing a solid cup on which the lens is placed. It is particularly intended as a device for the insertion of "soft" contact lenses which are flexible, unlike the rigid or "hard" contact lenses. This device is sold under the trademark "Soft-Sert". While it apparently offers the advantage of preventing a lens from falling or inverting while inserted, it still does not provide alignment assistance, nor does it significantly reduce the problem of positive contact transmitted between a finger and the eye.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to overcome the aforesaid and other difficulties with existing devices and to provide an improved contact lens applicator.